Patent GB-199874-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to apparatus for computing graphically acceleration, speed and/or distance travelled of vehicles and other moving bodies
IPC: G01P15/00
Filed: 1922-04-20
Abstract: 199,874. Stoneham, C. D. April 20, 1922. Computing scales and calculating - apparatus; planimeters. - Apparatus for computing graphically the acceleration, speed, and/or distance travelled of vehicles, ships, &c., comprises means for plotting these factors or any of them with respect to elapsed time, since the commencement of movement of the body, from templates shaped in accordance with the known or calculated characteristics, such as speed and acceleration under the action of the forces produced by the engine during the driving, coasting, or braking periods, and a template shaped to represent the accelerations at different points in the travel of the vehicle &c. The graphs A, B, C, Fig. 1, are produced by pens or pencils a, b, c on a record sheet mounted on a table 1, the ordinates thereof representing respectively the acceleration in miles per hour per second, miles per hour, and distance travelled in tenths of a mile and the abscissµ representing elapsed time. The pen a, which is carried by a member or container 62 mounted on a travelling carriage 4 caused to move at a constant speed across the table 1, is moved longitudinally of the carriage under the action of a counterweight and needles 101, 105 adapted to follow the contour of the motor characteristic template 119 and the road template 121 associated with levers 99, 107 connected by a chain 112 passing over a pulley 115 mounted on the container 62. The pen b is carried by another container 75 also mounted on the carriage 4 and moved longitudinally thereof by a lever mechanism 57, 58 actuated by a differential mechanism associated with a shaft 30, rotated on the displacement of the carriage 4 along the guide rails-2, 3, and with the. first-mentioned container 62. The third pen c is carried in a subcarriage 89 mounted on the tie-rods 8, 9 of the carriage 4 and moved along the rods by a similar differential mechanism associated with the shaft 30 and the container 75. This container and the sub-carriage 89 are provided with housings for other carriages 90, 130 adapted to slide on rails 92 and carrying the needles 101, 105 engaging the templates above referred to. The rotation of the shaft 30 by the movement of the carriage 4 through gearing 37, 39 effects the rotation of the first member 41 of the first differential gear, and movement is imparted to the second member 46 thereof through gearing 28, 27, shaft 24, and gearing 20, 19, the wheel 19 being mounted on a drum 16 rotated by means of spheres 60, 61 mounted freely within the container 62. The rotation of the members 41, 46 is equal and opposite when the sphere 60 is at the central or neutral position of the drum, and movement to either side of this position effects the rotation of the planet wheels 45 and the shaft 29 thereof. The shaft 29 carries a cylindrical member 47 having a screw thread formed on its periphery with which engages a nut 48, Fig. 4, supported in trunnions 49 in a ring 50 provided with pins 51 slidable in guides in a second ring 52 having an extension 54 mounted in bearings 53. The extension has an arm 55 ccnnected to the lever mechanism 57, 58 which effects the movement of the container 75. This container 75 carries spheres 73, 74 to rotate a second drum 72 connected by gearing to the wheel 63 of the second differential mechanism. The other wheel 42 of this mechanism is rotated through gearing 38, 40 by the shaft 30 and the planet wheels cause the rotation of a shaft 43 which carries a wheel 77 gearing with a wheel 78 integral with a spring-controlled friction clutch member 79 in engagement with a toothed wheel 80. This wheel is adapted through gearing to rotate a cylindrical member 84 screw-threaded on its periphery and engaging a nut 84<x> which is mounted in a manner similar to that of the nut 48 so as to rock an extension 88 to impart movement to the subcarriage 89. The needle 101 follows the template 119 or 120 automatically but the needle 105 is adjusted to follow the template 121 by the operator in charge.